– KNUT! We are going for a holiday, we’re not moving! You don’t have to take all your toys with you. We’ll be back soon.

– But Daddy, I love my toys.

– Knut, you must choose. We are already in a hurry, the night watch will be here any minute now…

– OK. I only take my Teddybear and your Teddybear with us.

– My Teddybear??

– I’ll explain it to you later.

– Papi! Why are you driving Knurzedes Bärz? A BMV (BärenMotorWerk) should be more knutish.

– Knut! Please, don’t complain!

– I also got a Knuvigator as birthday present. I will now write ‘Aunt Mervi. Let’s drive to Sweden’.

– Papi. I’d like to ask you a question. Does anybody cuddle yur?

– Why do you ask?

– Well, I was just wondering.. Herr Doktor Bl…Blä…Bla..Why must that man have a name noboby can pronounce? He came to me one day and said I mustn’t cuddle you anymore. He said I would injure you. Daddy, I swear, I would never harm you in any way. I love you!

– Dear Daddy, I remember so well when we could hug each other. Since it’s forbidden now I hug my teddybear, close my eyes and imagine it’s you. I hope when you’re hugging your teddybear you’re imagining your huggin your Knuti! A little complicated but it works!!

– I think I understand.

– I just want someone to hug you, Daddy, you are so dear to me…

– PAPI! Will you let me drive the car?

– NO!

– Why not?

– Because you have no driving licence. That’s why!

– But I’ve seen you driving…PLEASE, PLEASE, DADDY!

– OK. But first we have to get away from the Autobahn.

– Daddy! Driving a car is such fun!!!

– USE THE BRAKES! BRAKES, BRAKES. THERE’S THE POLIZEI!

– Polizei? I thought he looks like the man in the cashier’s office at the zoo and he just wanted to wave and wish us a good journey…

– Good evening! May I see your papers, please.

– Good evening to you, too. What papers would you like to see? We have Bild Zeitung, Berliner Kurier and New York Times…

– Daddy, why did the man faint? I just smiled and wanted to help. Shall I put my paw on his forehead?

– Dear Knuti, it’s very kind of you but I think we’d better continue as fast as possible to Auntie Mervi..

– Oh, look there’s a big bridge! I want to have a bridge between my enclosure and Mami’s and Papa’s enclosure. Then I could visit my parents and my aunts as often as I want to..

– TUUUUT! TUUUUUT! TUUUUUT!

– Please, Knuti, stop that hootering!

– But hootering is so funny!

– MERVIIII,Miffeeeee, Knuspaaaand!. Are you ready to join us???????????

– Oh, yes! Let’s go!

– AND NOW TO FINLAND!

– Auntie Mervi, are you afraid? Don’t be afraid – I can drive very well.

– Stockholm! Look at that big ship!!!!

– Knuti, I think it’s better I’ll drive the car to the ferry. Now you have to act like a teddybear. It’s safer – the passengers won’t be alarmed if they think you’re a big teddy.

– Here in Scandinavia it’s always light in the summer time – even at night. In the Winter it’s always very dark. I’m very tired and want to sleep now. Good night!

– Hmmmm. I don’t understand this…I have to knuugle this when I’m back home…

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
– Papi, is it morning or is it night?

– It is morning now.

– But Daddy, how do the people know what time of the day it is?

– Watches, Knuti, they have watches…

– I have no watch. I think I need a watch! So these people have to watch their watches to know when to go to bed and when to get up? I’m used to go to bed when it’s dark and wake up when it’s light…I must discuss this with Auntie Teddybärenmutti and Auntie Mervi. I think this is very funny…in a strange way…

– Yesterday I ate so much my gorgeous belly is still very full…but fishing is such fun.

– Miffeeee!!!. Do you want some fish?

– knijauuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

– Who else wants some fresh fish? Oh, there’s a boat coming with lots of people…I recognize some of them, oh, they are Knutians, what a surprise. How did they know I’m here on holiday???

– Dear Knuti, we must have a serious discussion with you. We understand very well that you and your Daddy need a vacation but there’s a big hullabaloo in Baerlin! The press is screaming loud! You should see the headlines!

WHERE IS TD?
WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH KNUTI?
KNUTI IS SERIOUSLY ILL. HE DOESN’T MOVE!
THE ZOO IS TELLING LIES!
THE TRAFFIC IS STANDING STILL!
THE BÜRGERMEISTER IS HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN!
THE OFFICE OF THE BUNDESKANZLER DOESN’T ANSWER THE PHONE CALLS!
KNUTI’S SUFFERING OF A DEEP DEPRESSION!
THE MARSIANS HAVE KIDNAPPED TD!

– Dear Knuti, even Teddybärenmutti thinks we’d better go back as soon as possible. Maybe you and Daddy can visit me in Bavaria?

– Okay, tears, tears….But I want to travel with Auntie Mervi, her knusband and Miffe!

– Teddybärenmutti. I’m sure we’ll be having a holiday together very soon!

– I’ll be waiting for you. Maybe we can pay a visit to Flocke, too. How about that?

A couple of days later in Baerlin:

– Now everything’s back to normal again. I have a lot of organizing to do.

– Depressed? Moi? I’m very ANGRY about the headlines!!

– Hmmm, The idea of visiting Flocke is not so bad. Not bad at all! I must make some plans!

Danke Liebe Admin! Danke Onkel Marcus! Danke Onkel Ronnie! Mama, Papa, Tanten!
Would you like to see some photos and videos? I have taken the pictures myself!
I have also a few buckets filled with fish that I caught – I guarantee it’s all very fresh!

Original photos of Knuti, Flocke and TD by Christina M, Marion K, Viktor

What a pleasure to get the chance to see/read TEDDYBAREN’s(text)/MERVI’s(collages) former fairy tales in the typical TBM-style!

This time even I am again in time with the traditional collage – this time in memory of his 138th monthly birthday (or better: ‘in possible memory’ – as KNUTi unfortunately hadn’t the chance to effectively reach this age). Consequently, today he would have reached 11 and a half years of his life . . . (sniff):

Dear Mervi, dear Teddybärenmutti!
When reading this funny and fanciful story about Knut and Thomas Dörflein going for a holiday together I don´t know if I should be sad or amused, maybe both the same time…

I loved the collages, all of them! Thanx to Dumba too.
Knut behind the steering wheel of a big car is for sure an unusual sight. I had a good laugh about the fainted police officer.

There are so many beautiful and funny memories, so many wonderful stories around this fairy tale.
Time flies and the loss of Knut and T.D. still hurts.
Thank you for taking us along the memory lane again.

dear Mervi, dear Teddybärenmutti, dear Dumba,
thank you so much for these wonderful memories and for the lovely montly birthday card.All the collages are so sweet, in my dreams and my imagination this will never end.
dear greetings to all of you
Filomena